Spring Champion Shadow Hero not for sale and heading for the Derby

Mark Newnham put up the ‘‘not for sale’’ sign on Shadow Hero a while ago and he showed why as he landed the first leg of group 1 spring double in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

The plan has always been to head to Melbourne in a month and to add a Victoria Derby like Ace High, Monaco Consul, Nothin’ Leica Dane and Stylish Century, and few would back again the impressive stayer.

Josh Parr knows the Spring Champion is his as Shadow Hero powers home.Credit:Getty

“I have been saying that all along, so we won’t be changing now,” said Newnham, who made it back-to-back wins in the Spring Champion. “They have been ringing for a while now and some of them were saying ‘what do you want for him?’ I just told them he is not for sale and generally don’t call back.”

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Shadow Hero ($1.90 fav) was given a perfect ride by Josh Parr back midfield in the fast-run group 1 and as the field thundered around the turn he had him in clean air and poised to strike.

It took to the 100m mark to get the leaders, but there was never a feeling that the favourite wouldn’t reel them in. He was strongest to the line to beat Castelvecchio ($3.10) by length, with a brave Battenburg ($34) a half head away in third.

Parr had to make the choice between Castelvecchio, which he won the Champagne Stakes on in the autumn, and Shadow Hero.

“Castelvecchio had a good crack at me late, but my guy really pinned his ears back and stuck it out for me; he’s a classy animal,” Parr said. “He’s been prepared perfectly by Mark Newnham and his team. He just ticks every box. He makes my job easy. The whole team have done such a great job with this horse, I’m just delighted.”

The pressure had been different for Newnham going into the Spring Champion this tme than with Maid Of Heaven 12 months ago.

“Last year we came here as a 10/12-1 chance and you give yourself a chance of winning. Here we were expected to win. I’ve thought for the last three months that this is the race for him. It’s just terrific that the plan has come together,” Newnham said. “Josh had to ride him a little bit closer than we had previously. The way the track was playing and that was the way to do it.

“From the 300m home he still had a lot of work to do. The leader still had a fair gap on us. He’s a real staying talent and that kicked in the last bit.”

Newnham has no doubt Shadow Hero will run the 2500m at Flemington in a month and he is now a $2.30 Victoria Derby favourite.

“He’s a really clean-winded animal. Any time he gallops he hardly blows. Getting to these sort of trips on a big track like Randwick is what we’ve been waiting for,” Newnham said. “He’s good enough. I’ve thought it for a long time.’’

Castelvecchio never gave in and their will be more clashes between him and Shadow Hero. He might head down in Melbourne but in a Cox Plate rather than Derby.

“It was 1400m to 2000m and Richard [Litt] had him fit. He’s just missed out today. He is a talented colt,” jockey Brenton Avdulla said.

Battenburg is likely to be freshened up and run in the $1 million Bondi Stakes in fortnight after giving a cheeky sight.

“I thought I was nearly going to go back to back,’’ Rachel King, who rode Maid Of Heaven, said.